Expansible bracelet.



J. BAGNALL.

EXPANSIBLE BRACELET. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1908.

1/ aw /75. 5 WMO6M (Y JOSEPH BAGNALL, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

EXPANSIB LE BRACELET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 1, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Serial No. 455,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BAGNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Attleboro, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Bracelets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to expansible bands and particularly to such a band adapted to be used for flexible bracelets, collars, and the like.

In articles of this sort it is desirable that the unit link members be yieldingly held together in such a way as to make their separation uniform and their return to position prompt. Such movements, moreover, must be made with evenness of motion and with a preservation of the symmetry of the band as a whole.

To the end, therefore, of producing an article in which the above requisites shall be present, without an undue sacrifice in simplicity of structure or loss of possibility of production at a low cost, I have devised my present invention which will be more fully described in the specification which follows.

In this specification and in the drawings Which form a part thereof I have disclosed an embodiment of my invention in the form of a band adapted to be used for a bracelet.

Throughout the specification and drawing like reference numerals indicate corre sponding parts and in the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a band with links contracted, Fig. 2 is a plan view of a plurality of link shells in contracted position, Fig. 3 is a view of the band shown in Fig. 1 with the links expanded, Fig. 1 is a plan view of three adjacent links in contracted position with the internal mechanism exposed, Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts shown expanded, Fig. 6 is a section on the line mm, Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a side view of a link, Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a shell, Fig. 9 is an elevation of an inner plate with studs, Fig. 10 is a view of a cover plate, and Fig. 11 is a view of a crank arm.

1 are a plurality of link shells closed by covers 2. The link shells 1 are opened on each side by two ports 8, through which pass square coupling links 4.

5 is a plate adapted to fit within the shell 1 and lie against the bottom thereof. 1 use the term bottom in this description as in assembling the links the shells are laid in the position shown in Fig. 8, although as a matter of fact the bottom of the shell usually forms the outside or exposed face of the unit when worn as a bracelet. On the plate 5 are studs 6 and 7. These studs are preferably arranged near the corners of the plate 5. On the studs 6 are mounted crank arms 8 each having an opening 9 to receive one of the studs 6.

At the opposite end of the arm 8 is a crank pin 10 grooved near its upper end at 11 to receive the free end 12 of a coiled spring 13 which fits over the pin 6 and the opposite end 1 1 of which bears against the end wall of the shell 1. Thus positioned the spring normally tends to hold the crank arms 8 toward the adjacent side Wall of the shell 1. The coupling links 4t are slipped over this adjacent side wall, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 and also over the crank pins 10 and the arms 8 in the shell adjacent on that side. The two links will, therefore, be held together through the coupling link by a positive engagement with the first and a yielding engagement with the second on account of the encircled crank pins. As will be seen by Fig. 6, the coupling link a lies between the free end 12 of the spring 13 and the arm 8. It is to be noted that in Figs. 6 and 7 the links are inverted from the position shown in Fig. 8 and that the bottom of the shell 1 is, therefore, on the top in Figs. 6 and 7.

The parts are assembled in the followiug manner: /Vith the shells in the position shown in Fig. 8 the plates 5 are dropped in and the crank arms 8 slid on over the pins 6. The coupling links 1 are then dropped over the shells entering the ports 8 and engaging, as shown in Figs. 4t and 5, the side wall of a shell 1 and encircling the crank pins 11 on the arms 8 of the shell next on the left. The springs 13 are then slipped over the pins 6 with the lower end lt in engagement with the end of the shell 1 and with the upper or free arm against the crank pin 10 and engaging the groove 11. The ends 12 and 1 1 of the springs 13 are normally disposed to each other at an angle greater than a right angle so that when the free end 12 is brought into engagement with the crank pin 10 the spring is under slight compression.

l/Vith the parts thus assembled the cover 2 is laid in the shell resting on the studs 6 and 7. The edges of the shell are then turned down on it to permanently close the springs 13 from rising and holds them, and

through them the arms, in place.

Nhat I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I. In a device of the class described a plurality of hollow units having corresponding ports in their side walls,'a pair of crank arms on one side of each unit with their free ends toward each other and yieldingly held toward the unit wall on-that side, a pin on the end of eachcrank arm,- a coupler link within each unit and inclosing said pins, said link entering the ports of the unit adjacent on the opposite side and inclosing the wall therebet-ween.

2. In a device or" the class described a plurality of hollow units having corresponding ports in their side walls, a pair of crank arms on one side of each unit with their free ends toward each other and yieldingly held toward the unit wall on that side, apin on the endof each crank arm, a coupler link within each unit and inclosing said pins, said link engaging the unit adjacent on the opposite side.

3. In a device of the class described a plurality of hollow unit shells having corresponding ports, a plate in said shells, a

pair of studs on one side of said plate, a crank arm on each of said studs and yieldingly held toward the unit wall 011 that side, a pin on the end of each crank arm, a coupler link within each unit and inclosing said pins, said link engaging the unit adjacent on the opposite side.

l. In a device of the class described an open hollow unit, a pair of studs on one side of each unit, a cover adapted to close said shell and rest on said. studs, a crank arm on each, stud, a pin on the end of each crank arm, a coupler link within each unit and inclosing said pins, said link entering the unit adjacent on the opposite side and spiral springs coiled on said studs and each having a freerend engaging said pins to yieldingly hold said link within said shell.

5. In a device of the class described a plurality of hollow units, a pair of studs on each side of each unit, a crank arm on each of one pair of studs, a pin on the end of each crank arm and having a recess at its end, a

coupler link within each unit and inclosing' said pins, said link entering the unit adjacent on the opposite side, and spiral springs coiled on said studs and each having a free end in sliding engagement with the pin in said recess to yieldingly hold said link'within said shell,v said link lying between said arms and the free end of said springs.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. r

, JOSEPH'BAGNALL. I

VVitnessesz- Y O. LOUIS BAGNALL, GEORGE J. BAGNALL. 

